10 Short Horror Films that Kick Ass
For those of you who struggle with limited or diminished attention spans, we’ve got a recipe for quick, effective entertainment. It’s no secret that scintillating short films are produced on a near daily basis. Not every quick flick is a home run, but there are a staggering number of true A-class short features floating around the web, enough in fact to fill a full month’s 24/7 viewing and then some.
And in fact, many of the filmmakers you know today – Adam Green, Ti West, Darren Lynn Bousman, James Wan, to name a few – saw their careers properly kickstarted after assembling game-changing short films. Did you realize Saw was a terrifying short before it was ever a feature length pic? Did you realize Bousman pumped out a 10-minute rendition of Repo! The Genetic Opera two years before he got the official film under way?
Short films can be damn important, and some of these pictures being released and thriving on the festival circuit are being created by names that will be familiar to each of us in a few years time. The short film is one of the greatest ways to break into the industry, and that’s no longer a secret. It’s also why we’re seeing stronger and stronger shorts hit the market with each year that passes.
If you doubt the validity of this little cinematic sermon, take a look at the following 10 short films. Each and every one of these quickies is brilliant in one way or another, and they’re all worth more than a single viewing.
The Security Guards
The Security Guards is a very straightforward piece that unravels like a segment from an old issue of Tales from the Crypt (it’s slightly reminiscent of Issue #40). It’s never once played straight, loaded with goofy moments and over-the-top practical effects. But the real joy of it all is seeing Tiffany Shepis in action as a doomed woman driven by greed. Great flick for fans of silly 80s fare.
Attack of the Brainsucker
Sid Zanforlin’s Attack of the Brainsucker tells the tale of a young girl with an affinity for horror films and a wild imagination who begins to receive visits from the ghouls that she’s so obsessed with. Beautifully shot with some surprisingly impressive special effects, strong performances and a wonderfully campy throwback vibe that transitions into a dark and somewhat depressing finale, this ranks right up there with some of the finest and most emotionally complex short films shot within the genre. Top to bottom this one looks great, and the story never lets loose its grip on our imagination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=791&v=pV8oujC_QpE
Friday the 13th: Bloodville
Sonny Fernandez is a talented dude who pieced together this ridiculous animated Friday the 13th fan film, and I can’t possibly be any more grateful! The short is clearly designed to appeal to the lighthearted (you can avoid it if you’re only interested in Oscar-worthy material) and keep you laughing while feeling a little nostalgic, but it’s also all about pure entertainment and genuine fun. If you’re a fan of Friday the 13th or animated works, you’re going to find Sonny’s work to be a serious blast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61n62TKnCvo&feature=youtu.be
